1 Timothy 6 New
International Version - UK (NIVUK)
6
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of
full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those
who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they
are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their
masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[a]
of their slaves.
False teachers and the
love of money
These
are the things you are to teach and insist on. 3 If anyone teaches otherwise
and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to
godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an
unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in
envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between
people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that
godliness is a means to financial gain.
6
But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the
world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing,
we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation
and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into
ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced
themselves with many griefs.
Final charge to Timothy
11
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good
confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives
life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius
Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without
spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will
bring about in his own time – God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of
kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in
unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might
for ever. Amen.
17
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put
their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who
richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do
good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In
this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the
coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
20
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless
chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which
some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.
Grace
be with you all.
The IVP New Testament
Commentary Series
Timothy, Fight the Good
Fight (6:12-15)
The
servant of God must also fulfill the calling of ministry. The charge issued in
1:18 is repeated here. Paul has changed the metaphor, however, from ministry in
terms of a military struggle to ministry in terms of an athletic contest (see
also 2 Tim 4:7). Thus the need for perseverance, sustained effort and training
dominate in this charge (compare 1 Cor 9:24-27; 2 Tim 2:5). Like a skillful
coach, Paul supplies ample motivation for maintaining the struggle.
1.
Eternal reward (6:12). Especially for the minister, to "finish the
race" is no mere option. The command tone (take hold) reminds us of the
real element of human responsibility in the salvation process, as it also
implies the real possibility of success. Though the cost is great, the
Christian leader can arrive at the goal of personal salvation, eternal life.
But
while the athletic imagery emphasizes the human side, it is the prior action of
"calling" that establishes the believer's future success. In the
passive, the verb refers clearly to God's call to eternal life. Yet as we have
just seen, divine sovereignty does not preclude human responsibility. Timothy
had an obligation to participate in his salvation. We too must view faithful
Christian living and service, in whatever context God places us, as our
necessary responsibility to God.
2.
Past promises (6:12). The Greek sentence continues without a break, and
attention shifts to Timothy's past commitment to God. It may be (as the NIV
interprets it) that the phrase good confession in the presence of many
witnesses relates directly to God's calling (to eternal life), indicating the
time when realization of this occurred. In this case, the event in mind would
probably be Timothy's baptism. However, the phrase may be linked more directly
to the parallel commands to fight and to take hold, making the event grounds
for obedience to those ministerial commands. In this case, the allusion would
be to a commissioning ceremony of some sort. The two ceremonies would have been
similar in tone, each including a confession of faith, a charge and a vow of
commitment.
To
judge from the ministry context here and probable allusions to the event
elsewhere (1:18; 4:14), Paul may have had in mind Timothy's commissioning
(similar to the more modern ordination). Then his reasoning is that the two
commands of verse 12 are in keeping with the promises of God's selection of one
for ministry. The ceremony that bound the congregation to acknowledge the
authority of the new minister also bound the minister to faithful service.
Today
the binding force of one's word is often questioned, but before God that is not
so. The minister's pledge to serve must not be taken lightly. But it takes
discipline as well as forceful reminders from coworkers or from God's Spirit to
bring us back to first promises that bind. Yet what the servant must recall are
not only human commitments to God but also God's commitments to his servants.
3.
Present promises (6:13). This comes more clearly into view as Paul reminds
Timothy of his present situation. Christian service is not something God
initiates, like the christening of a ship, then leaves to run its own course.
It begins with God's choice and continues in his presence and fellowship. So
when Paul repeats the solemn charge, which begins in verse 13 and ends in verse
14, he emphasizes Timothy's continuing fellowship with God and Christ.
In
this fellowship, too, obligation and promise are combined. To be in the sight
of God (5:21; 2 Tim 4:1) is cause for reverent fear. The Hebrews were terrified
of God's presence, which, as Moses explained, was to keep them from sinning (Ex
20:20). But God's presence meant for them also his faithful care—guidance,
food, clothing (Deut 8:1-5). And the description of God as life-giver means the
same for Paul's readers. God's constant presence should spur the Christian on
to excellent service. Equally, this truth provides encouragement and strength,
for the ever-present God is the one who gives and sustains life.
At
the same time Timothy is reminded of his fellowship with Christ. He is our
ever-present Lord (compare Mt 28:20). This comforting promise of continual
fellowship, however, ought to compel us to the heights of faithfulness, for our
Lord is also our judge (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 3:15-16).
Christian
leaders in difficult situations have always found encouragement in Christ's experience.
In fact, God has called us to participate in the very ministry Christ
initiated. He made the good confession first, before Pontius Pilate. Paul's
allusion is difficult to ascertain. Probably the reference is to Jesus' trial
and to the supreme testimony he gave in his death. He authenticated his calling
and commitment to serve God before the representative of this world, despite
great danger and temptations to denial (see Jn 18:28-37). The one called to
serve God makes a confession and commitment to continue Christ's own mission at
any personal cost. Christ's commitment to his servants is continual fellowship.
4.
Future promises (6:14). It is equally important for Timothy to concentrate on
the promise of Christ's return, for two reasons. First is the promise of
relief. The term Paul chose to describe the Second Coming here (the appearing)
pictures the event as a glorious intervention to bring help. In fact, Paul uses
the same term to refer to Christ's first advent (2 Tim 1:10; Tit 2:11; 3:4);
this shows how the present age is to be understood in relation to Christ's two
"appearances"—what began with Christ will end with Christ. When God's
appointed time arrives, relief will come to the minister. A Christian's earthly
duties will cease.
Second
is a note of urgency. The obligations connected with the call to service (the
command, vv. 11-12, to lead an exemplary Christian life) must be kept, the
course must be finished in all faithfulness (without spot or blame), for Christ
comes to judge (2 Tim 4:1, 8). In light of the certainty of this future event,
without spot or blame stresses the need for a life that expresses godliness
consistently and in all respects. The early Christians lived as if Christ's
return would occur during their lifetime. We for the most part do not, and we
are the weaker for it. This confident hope of consummation and evaluation can
sustain us when days are long, bodies grow weary and results seem few.
5.
Sovereign God (6:15-16). Last of all in the charge to Timothy, Paul calls to
mind the sovereign and majestic God. A clear vision of the true nature of God
is a strong motivation for holy living and service for all Christians. Paul
declares that God has ordered all events (v. 15), including the appearance of
Christ. But what a God! The Greek makes it clear that Paul has actually
inserted a doxology, which celebrates the majesty and mystery of God, to
describe the subject of the verb of execution (bring about) in verse 15. The
force of Paul's artistry is to close the charge to God's servant in adoration
and worship (compare 1:17).
The
God whom Christians serve is the blessed and only Ruler. This description comes
out of intertestamental Judaism. God's oneness and sovereignty (Ruler means
"sovereign"), which might suggest transcendence and
"otherness," are balanced by the blessing he intimately bestows on
his people. The phrases King of kings and Lord of lords ascribe to God absolute
sovereignty. This powerful combination appears in Revelation 17:14 and 19:16 in
reference to Christ.
Majesty
gives way to mystery in verse 16 as the doxology next declares God to be
"the only one having immortality" (1:17). The meaning is that God is
the source of eternal life, that life which is proper to him alone, which he
has chosen to bestow on others. His dwelling place is unapproachable light (Ex
24:15-17; 34:29-35; 1 Jn 1:5-7), which speaks symbolically of his absolute
holiness. The mystery becomes complete in the reference to his
"invisibility" (1:17). The actual phrase, whom no one has seen or can
see, recalls God's response to Moses, who in preparation for leading God's
people requested to see God: "no one may see me and live" (Ex 33:20).
Still, enough was shown to Moses to carry him through in confidence.
Finally,
the doxology closes in praise, ascribing honor and might forever to the
sovereign God (Rev 5:13). In the end, God's servants must set their concentration
upon the invincible God. Turning the thought to praise, Paul reminds his
readers that Christian life and ministry together form the appropriate response
to the blessing of God.
The Bible Panorama
1 Timothy 6
V 1–2: SLAVES The word ‘bond
servants’ means ‘slaves’. They are told to honour their masters so that God
will be glorified. They must not take unfair advantage of Christian masters who
bestow great benefits coming from their Christian character. Timothy is to
insist on this. (Some slaves became more privileged and better supported than
many free people.)
V 3–5: SEPARATION Timothy is to separate
himself from those who have selfish, corrupt and ungodly attitudes and
lifestyles which cause them to seek gain rather than godliness.
V 6–10: STRAYING Carrying on with the
thought of gain, Paul tells Timothy that some have strayed from the faith, and
injured themselves, because of a love of money. Godliness brings its own
contentment. Paul advocates a simple lifestyle with gratitude for needs being
met, and a desire to glorify God.
V 11–16: SPOTLESS Timothy, as a man of
God, is to flee all spiritually harmful influences and seek the qualities and
characteristics which are consistent with the ‘good fight of faith’. He is to
seek to be kept spotless and blameless in the view of Christ’s appearing. He is
to remember the coming appearing, the holiness and the greatness of his ‘King
of kings and Lord of lords’.
V 17–19: SHARING Timothy is to tell the
rich Christians, for whom all their riches have come from God, that they should
be willing to share with others and invest in eternal life.
V 20–21: STEWARD That which has been
committed to the stewardship trust of Timothy is to be protected from any
teaching that would pollute it. Some have strayed through those polluted
teachings and Paul prays for God’s grace for his protégé.
Dictionary
of Bible Themes
5904
maturity, spiritual
The
development of Christlike character and behaviour in the Christian through a
renewed mind and tested faith.
Christlikeness
as the goal and model for spiritual maturity
Eph
4:13-15 See also Col 2:6-7; Heb 12:2
Marks
of spiritual maturity
Spiritual
understanding Col 2:2 See also Ro 15:14; 1Co 2:6; 1Co 14:20; Eph 1:17-18; Heb
5:12-6:1
Discernment
of God’s will and changed behaviour Col 1:9-10 See also Ro 12:2; 1Co 3:1-3; Gal
5:22-23; Eph 4:22-23; Php 1:9-11; 2Th 1:3
Stability
Col 4:12 See also Eph 4:14; 2Pe 3:17-18
Care
for the weaker brother Ro 15:1 See also Gal 6:1-2
Maturity
is to be the aim of the Christian
Php
3:13-15 See also Lk 8:14 a reason for spiritual immaturity; 2Co 7:1; 2Co 13:11;
1Ti 6:11
The
process of maturity
God
causes spiritual growth Php 1:6 See also Gal 3:3; Heb 10:14
Possessing
gifts of ministry Eph 4:11-13 See also Ro 1:11
Being
equipped by the word of God 2Ti 3:16-17 See also Ro 15:4; 1Pe 2:2; 1Jn 2:5
Persevering
through trials Ro 5:3-5 See also Heb 2:10; Jas 1:3-4; 1Pe 5:10
The
concern of the pastor is to help others to maturity
Col
1:28-29 See also 2Co 13:9-10; Gal 4:19
Marks
of spiritual maturity
1.
Spiritual understanding
Colossians
2:2-8 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
2
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that
they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may
know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by
fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am
present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how
firm your faith in Christ is.
Spiritual
fullness in Christ
6
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives
in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were
taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive
philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual
forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ.
Romans
15:14-18 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Paul
the minister to the Gentiles
14
I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of
goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I
have written to you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again,
because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the
Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so
that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the
Holy Spirit.
17
Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture
to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading
the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done –
2.
Discernment of God’s
will and changed behaviour
Colossians
1:9-14 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
9
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying
for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that
you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing
fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may
have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,
who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the
kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.
Galatians
5:16-26 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
16
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit
what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that
you are not to do whatever[a] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,
you are not under the law.
19
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish
ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no
law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with
the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
3.
God causes spiritual
growth
Philippians
1:3-11 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Thanksgiving
and prayer
3
I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I
always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first
day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my
heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all
of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of
you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and
depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be
pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of
righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.
Galatians
3:1-5 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Faith
or works of the law
3
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus
Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one
thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by
believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the
Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] 4 Have you
experienced[b] so much in vain – if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask,
does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the
law, or by your believing what you heard?
4.
Being equipped by the
word of God
2
Timothy 3:10-17 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
A
final charge to Timothy
10
You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith,
patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings – what kinds of things
happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet
the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a
godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors
will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you
know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the
Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of
God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1
John 2:5-8 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
5
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them.
This is how we know we are in him: 6 whoever claims to live in him must live as
Jesus did.
7
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have
had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet
I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because
the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
Easton's Bible
Dictionary
Contentment
a
state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be
(1 Tim. 6:6; 2 Cor. 9:8). It is opposed to envy (James 3:16), avarice (Heb.
13:5), ambition (Prov. 13:10), anxiety (Matt. 6:25, 34), and repining (1 Cor.
10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of
humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of
divine providence (Ps. 96:1, 2; 145), the greatness of the divine promises (2
Pet. 1:4), and our own unworthiness (Gen. 32:10); as well as from the view the
gospel opens up to us of rest and peace hereafter (Rom. 5:2).
Encyclopedia of The
Bible
DOCTRINE (διδασκαλία, διδαχή, basically meaning
teaching, usually emphasizing the content of what is taught). These two words
occur forty-eight times in the NT and are tr. “doctrine” in all but two
instances in the KJV. The RSV and NEB more often tr. them “teaching” or
“instruction.” There is no single OT word which means “doctrine,” but see תּﯴרָה, H9368, “law,” esp. in later Judaism; לָמַד, H4340, to “teach,” or
“instruct” or “learn,” אֱמוּנָה, H575, “truth.”
In
the Gr. world, teaching (esp. didaskalia) implied the communication of
knowledge, either of an intellectual or technical nature. For the most part it
had a clear intellectual character.
Among
the Jews, esp. in the OT, teaching served not for the communication of
religious truth, but rather to bring the one taught into direct confrontation
with the divine will. What is taught are the commandments; what is expected is
obedience. Thus Moses is taught what he should do (Exod 4:15), and he in turn
teaches Israel the commandments (Deut 4:1, 5, et al.), which they likewise are
to teach to their children (Deut 6:1, 6, 7, et al.). Therefore, although a
“doctrine” of the unity of God or of divine election is presupposed in OT
teaching, such teaching is not the communication of such “doctrines” but
instruction in the divine will.
For
the most part the NT use of didaskalia and didachē corresponds more to the OT idea than to
the Gr. That is, teaching usually implies the content of ethical instruction
and seldom the content of dogmas or the intellectual apprehension of truth. For
example, in the Pastoral Epistles “sound doctrine” which is “in accordance with
the glorious gospel” is contrasted with all kinds of immoral living (1 Tim
1:9-11; cf. 6:1, 3; Titus 1:9; 2:1-5, 9, 10). Also the later work entitled the
Didachē, or The Teaching of the
Twelve Apostles, is a manual of ethical instruction and church discipline with
scarcely any theological content.
In
the NT this usage is strengthened by the relationship of didachē to kerygma, or
preaching. It was by means of the kerygma that men were brought to faith in
Christ (1 Cor 1:21); and the content of that kerygma included the essential
data of the Christian message: the life, work, death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ as God’s decisive act for man’s salvation (cf. Acts 2:14-36). Those who
responded to the preaching would then be instructed in the ethical principles
and obligations of the Christian life (2:42).
This
relationship may be seen throughout the NT. Thus Jesus “preaches” the
in-breaking of the kingdom of God (Matt 4:17; 11:28). Men are called to
decision by His mighty words and deeds. But His teaching, which astonished the
crowds for its authority, was replete with ethical demands (cf. the sixfold
“you have heard that it was said...but I say to you” in Matt 5). So also Paul
in his epistles often followed the kerygmatic content of his gospel with its
ethical demands (Rom, Gal, Eph, Col). Such ethical demands were seen as the
inevitable corollary of response to the kerygma.
One
may note, therefore, that “doctrine” in contemporary parlance would derive more
from the content of the kerygma than from the didachē in the NT.
However,
since ethical instruction, or obedience to the divine will in the NT is so
closely related to response to the preaching with its “doctrinal” content, it
is not surprising that teaching itself eventually came to include the essential
data of the faith. Thus “the elder” uses didachē to refer to the truth of the
incarnation, belief in which, of course, should eventuate in love (2 John 9,
10).
This
latter meaning of “teaching,” as including the essential beliefs of the
Christian faith, ultimately prevailed in the Early Church and continues in
vogue today by the tr. of “doctrine” for didachē and didaskalia.
Bibliography
K. H. Rengstorff, διδάσκω, G1438, TDNT, II
(1935), 135-165; C. H. Dodd, The Apostolic Preaching and Its Developments
(1936); id. Gospel and Law (1951); D. M. Stanley, “Didache
As a Constitutive Element of the Gospel-Form,” CBQ, XVII (1955), 216-228; J.-L.
Leuba, “Teaching,” VB (Fr. orig. 1956), 414-416; J. J. Vincent, “Didactic
Kerygma in the Synoptic Gospels,” SJT, X (1957), 262-273; E. F. Harrison, “Some
Patterns of the New Testament Didache,” BS, CXIX (1961), 118-128; O. A. Piper,
“Gospel (Message),” IDB (1962), II, 442-448; P. H. Menoud, “Preaching,” IDB
(1962), III, 868, 869.
Be
Blessed today
Yours
because of His amazing grace
For
the sake of His Kingdom and His Church
Blair
Humphreys
Southport,
Merseyside, England
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